My love

Training

We had finally finished lockdown near enough as restrictions were being lifted. Me and Leah had been together for 5 months now, and only our family knew. It was our first day back at arsenal.

Everyone arrives slowly, we go into the dining room as there's not enough space in the meeting room to keep distance. We had to sit with the people we had been sharing with. Me and Leah didn't mind that as we had gotten together, but we had to act like we just tolerated each other, until we wanted to let the team know.

We take our seats at the tables that were assigned to your house. Luckily Gio was on the table next to me. Before Jonas came in we were all talking. "Who did you share with?" I ask, considering she was the only one sat at her table.
"Teyah and Rafa" she replies
"Where are they?" I ask
"Teyah, is doing her rehab for an acl at home and Rafa went to the toilet I think"
"Nice" I say

Jonas walks in, he claps his hands. He says "wow, it's nice to see you all again"
"Covid isn't completely over and since we are in the middle of the season unfortunately this season will not be happening, we will just to act as if the games we have are season games. But they aren't, they are just friendlies" he says
"Obviously we are in January now, we went into lockdown in September before the season started. We start playing again mid February. Here's the games we have so far" he gets out a piece of paper.

"On the 16th February we have Charlton Athletic, at boreham wood. On the 27th February we have Nottingham forest, at Grange Park. Right then in march" he says
"On the 7th march we go up against Manchester City at boreham wood. On the 19th march we have London city lionesses at princes park. Then our last fixture for now on the 28th march is against Manchester United at Leigh sports village"

He finishes the meeting and we all get changed in the changing rooms. Gio is next to me "what was the point in separating us, if we are together in the changing rooms"
"That's actually a good point" I say
"Have you not told her yet?"
"What you on about?" I ask
She whispers "Leah? Have you not said anything"
"Come on G, there's no way I'm telling her. Let's go train" I say
We go outside and stand in a circle.

Jonas explains what we have to do. Me and Gio partner up. I see Leah has partnered up with Beth.
"So you've liked her for five months and haven't said anything" Gio says
"Gio just drop it, please" I say
"She likes you, you know" she says to me. I knew that she liked me obviously.
"Okay, we'll if she likes me she can do it herself cant she" I say
"Do I need to do it for you?"
"No, it's not a high school crush. Gio" I say, she starts to walk slowly off.
"Gio, I swear down" I say at her.

Gio goes up to Beth and Leah walks to me, "hey" she says.
"Hey" I reply, this felt awkward because I knew everyone's eyes were on us.
"Beth wants me to ask you out" she says.
I laugh and say "Gio wants me to ask you"
Leah laughs and I say by accident "I love you"
"Shit" I say
Leah just stares at me, not saying anything.
"Yeah erm okay" I say and go inside.

I sit at the changing room bench and Gio and Beth walk in. A tear rolls down my cheek, Gio rushes to my side "hey everything okay?"

It just keeps replaying in my head, that I barely hear them. "Ella" Beth says
"El" Gio says
"Ella" they keep saying, but my heads just not listening.

I feel Gio shaking me, snapping me from my thoughts. "El" Gio says
"Yeah" I say, wiping the tears from my cheek.
"You okay?" Beth asks
"Yeah just hormones innit?" I say
Leah walks in and I sit up and start wiping my face. I go into the bathroom, I hear Beth talking to Leah "what did you do?" Beth asks
"I did nothing" she says, but that's exactly what she did. She did nothing.
"Leah, you must of done something. She doesn't cry over nothing" Gio says
"Yeah but that is what I did. I did nothing" she says
"Leah your not making sense" Beth says

I go out of the bathroom and I say "she is though"
She walks towards me and says "I didn't mean to react like that, I promise"
"Okay, whatever" I say
I walk to Beth and gio. I look at them and then go back outside, Jonas comes up to me.

"Everything alright?"
"Yeah just mood swings. Sorry"
"Don't be, remember I'm here" he says and runs back over to the other coaches.

Rafa comes up to me and gives me a hug. She whispers "I know about you and Leah"
"What how?"
"It's obvious, no one else can tell. But I can tell these sorta things. I'll keep my mouth shut. But is there anything you want to talk about?" She asks
"I just sorta told her I loved her, she didn't reply and just stared at me" i say
She hugs me even tighter, I cry into her shoulder. "Come on let's go see win"

Rafa goes up to Jonas. She puts her arm round my shoulder and we walk inside. We walk through the changing rooms where Beth, Gio and Leah were still stood. We go see win. "Hey boy, you look just like my Bailey" I say
I sit down and he rests his head on my lap.
"Thanks Rafa, I appreciate it" I say
"Anything for a friend and an amazing teammate"
Leah walks in and Rafa says "I better leave you two, remember I'm always here Ella" Rafa pats my shoulder before going. Leah sits on the other sofa.

I take a deep breathe and keep looking at win. "Look I'm sorry, I didn't mean to react like that" Leah says
"It's fine" I say
"But it's not, you expected me to say it back"
"Of course I did, I didn't even mean to say it. It just came out, otherwise I just wouldn't of said it" I say
She moves closer to me and says "I've loved you ever since I came to your house, your special and I love you for that. I just can't justify and process things quickly. When you said that I just freaked out and it's not because I didn't want to say it back, it's because you looked shocked at you saying it and I was shocked you said it at that moment"
"You don't  have to say it" I say
"But I want too" she replies.
"I love you" she adds

I smile and say "you mean it?" I ask
"Of course I do" she replies

"Beth and gio still have no idea do they?" I say
"Absolutely not, what about Rafa" Leah asks
"Yeah she knows, but I didn't tell her she just knew" I say
"I think we should tell them" Leah suggests
"I think so too, but I don't want an announcement because that's just awkward" I say
"Yeah I know it is. Come on" she says and stands up, she puts her hand out. I grab onto it and we walk outside.
As we go to separate she kisses me on the cheek. I smile slightly and then go over to Gio.

"Erm what was that?" She asks me
"What you on about?" I ask
"Leah just kissed you on the cheek"
"Right and?"
"She just kissed you on the cheek"
"Okay" I say
"Why aren't you excited?" Gio says
I just smile "because your already dating" she adds
I stand there and just smile, "how long" she asks and hugs me.
"Like 5 months" I say
"5 months" she repeats
"Yeah" I reply

Training finishes and we go in the changing rooms. Once Leah is ready she comes and sits next to me. Jen walks up to us she gives Leah something "you left it we're you usually get changed"
"Thanks Jen" Leah replies.
Jen leaves and I just look at Leah and smile, she does the same back.

The changing room went into silence and Viv says "hey keep looking at each other like that and people will think your dating"
I look at Viv and so does Leah. Then she says "why are you jealous?"
She then kisses me, which the full changing room starts cheering. I pull away and start smiling at her.

We get in the car to drive home.